New challenges with coronavirus arise,
Parker's request prayer for good health and safety

Debbie Snapp
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Greg and Anne Parker, a missionary couple who are sponsored by the First Baptist Church family, are directors of infrastructure for SEARA, which oversees construction of homes for missionaries and churches in the villages along the Amazon River, along with maintenance on the riverboats and base operations.
The couple also heads up their own Parker Ministry, which is an outreach service that seeks to disciple to as many of the 30,000 river communities along the Amazon River in Brazil as it can.
A lot has happened with the Parker Ministry these past few months.
In January, a group of church volunteers from Ohio joined the Parker's for a trip to the village of Ituense where they built a missionary home.
“It was a great trip,” reported Greg Parker. “We finished the house and had a great time with the group. The new missionary family is already living in the house and ministering in the surrounding villages.”
A second trip in February was to the annual retreat. All the missionaries came together for a time of fellowship and sharing. The theme for this time of ministry was “The Resolution of Conflict in Ministry.” It was a great challenge for all participating.
Greg was joined on this trip by his brother and his family. He shares that it was a wonderful time with family. Also, as it was his dad's 60th birthday; a surprise party was celebrated with all the missionaries. The children also had a fun time together.
The Parker Ministry only recently returned from their third trip. This trip was supposed to be with a group from Florida, but because of the coronavirus, they had to cancel. The trip was not wasted though, as area volunteers and missionaries rallied together to build the Sunday school classrooms as planned.
Upon arrival back to the Parker Ministry site, many questions will have to be resolved within the mission concerning the coronavirus. A lot of this year's scheduled trips will be canceled and many of the missionaries are confined in their villages; the Brazilian government has cut off all types of transportation from one city to another.
The Parker Ministry is asking for prayer, especially during this trying time.
“Please pray for our missionaries as they might run out of supplies before we can find a way to provide these needs,” asks Greg. “Also pray that the virus does not spread in our area as our health care is very limited. We are praying for all of you too, as we have been keeping up with all that is happening in the states as well. And know that it is a really tough time for all of us. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. God Bless”
Psalm 46:1: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
About Greg Parker: “I was raised as a Missionary's Kid in Brazil. God showed me I was a sinner at an early age of eight. I lived in Brazil until I was eighteen. Then, I went to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Ill. While I was there, God showed me I was able to go back and work fulltime in Brazil, on the Amazon. My wife (Anne) was from one of the villages we worked at. God gave her the same desire to serve on the Amazon, reaching her own people. We have been serving with “Word of Life” for six years. We are blessed with two children, Jake and Hailey.”
About Anne Parker: “I was born in a non-Christian home in a village along the Amazon River. I accepted Christ when I was 11-years-old during one of the trips that Greg's grandfather made to my village. My cousin and I helped reach our whole village to Christ. My family of 10 brothers and sisters now are all believers. I went to the floating seminary from “Word of Life”. I met Greg on one of those trips and we married in 2008, and have been serving in Brazil ever since. God gave us two beautiful children, Jake and Hailey.”